April 17, 1929 �" February 19, 2015
Charles (Chuck) Roseberry passed away February 19, 2015 at the Veteran's Hospital in San Francisco after a long battle with cancer. He was 85.
Originally from Ohio, Charles served in the U.S. Army in Germany in the mid-1950s. He was discharged after being caught in a gay witch-hunt. While under arrest, Charles had an affair with the guard escorting him back to the U.S. Eventually his discharge was changed to honorable. Charles lived in San Francisco since 1955, being part of San Francisco's early gay history.
During the 1970s, Charles had a dog grooming business on Sanchez Street in the Castro called the Barking Lot. He retired from business during the 1990s.
Charles was an avid 8mm filmmaker and videographer. He captured gay life, culture, and events around the Castro and many of the early Gay Freedom Day and Gay Pride parades dating back to the 1970s. Charles' films are currently on YouTube under his (MrChuckroseberry) channel.
Charles was very honored when the producers of the Milk film used clips from his 8mm footage of the early Castro Street days in the opening sequence of the film.
His friends will miss him holding court on afternoons at Starbucks on 18th Street. R.I.P.